With Christmas only a few days away, I've rounded up some last minute stocking stuffers for both the men and women in your lives! If ordered now- 21st, everything should arrive in time for Christmas Eve, so for all the procrastinators out there- these are gifts they are sure to love!

My favorites for her are the Foreo Berry Best Friends Set, which comes with a tiny luna to exfoliate the lips and two lip balms! I use a Foreo Luna and they are amazing- I've noticed such a difference in my skin. I also love the Slip Silk Pillow Cases. These pillowcases look pretty and are good for your hair, so it's a win-win!

For men, the Chambong set is such a fun and different gift and are sure to stir up a good conversation! I also think the Foreo Mint to be Set is perfect for those men that you're just not sure what to get. The specially developed hybrid toothbrush is amazing and it comes with 3 different kinds of toothpaste.

I hope everyone is having a great week! If you need more ideas for any other special people in your life, email me! xoxo

Monday, December 18, 2017

Last month the fiance and I got the amazing opportunity to go to Scottsdale to celebrate both of our birthdays. He had been in the past, but this was my first time to Arizona and I was so excited to check it out! I had heard such good things about Scottsdale before we went, so I was super excited to try out all of the amazing restaurants, wineries and even hot air balloon rides!!

The first night we stayed at the super relaxing Royal Palms Resort & Spa. This resort was absolutely breathtaking (it sits in front of Camelback mountain with the most amazing views) and the staff was more than exceptional. We stayed in a Casita, which was the most romantic & charming place I have ever stayed... we even had a fireplace in the room! Built in the classic estate style, Royal Palms Resort is a Spanish-Colonial style resort with an amazing spa called Alvadora. I received an 80-minute Citrus Ritual massage and I have to say it was hands down the best massage I've ever received. There was also a room with a private tub and outside shower to sit and relax after your services... I could have stayed there all day! If you are in the market for a romantic & super relaxing getaway, Royal Palms Resort is definitely the place for you.

The second and third night we stayed at Hotel Valley Ho, a trendy modern-retro hotel close to downtown Scottsdale. I was told that this hotel is super popular in the summer months with locals, as they have an awesome outdoor pool with lots of cabana's (think Vegas style.) We had the opportunity to hang out by the pool at a cabana one of the days and it was so much fun! They have delicious drinks and food that you can order directly to your cabana, and the wait staff was the absolute sweetest! If you're looking for a party scene or a lot more "energy," then Hotel Valley Ho is a perfect spot to vacation!

One thing I really loved about Scottsdale, was the food & drink scene. Being from Chicago, we are known to have some pretty amazing food, however, I personally thought the food in Scottsdale was 10x better! We dined at some of the best restaurants I've ever been to and tried wine from some of the best wineries.

Hotel Valley Ho- Amazing location, modern-retro with a big party scene. The restaurant Zuzu located in the hotel is phenomenal and they make some amazing drinks!

WHERE TO EAT:

Farm & Craft- Located downtown, this place has such a fun atmosphere and everything on the menu is healthy, so that's always a plus! What to order: Salmon Poke Bowl (so delicious!!)

FnB Restaurant- A must visit! It's only open for dinner and it's very vegetable heavy, but everything was amazing! The menu does occasionally rotate and the wine list is strong.

ZuZu Restaurant- This restaurant is located in Hotel Valley Ho and had some of the best scallops I've ever tasted. They also have a monthly rotating shake that is so much fun and sooo good! The one we indulged in was a Smoked Pecan shake that even had a piece of pecan pie! I highly suggest ordering one when you stop by.

Diego Pops- The cutest Mexican restaurant located in Old Town Scottsdale that had the most amazing brussel sprout nachos. We were told by a few people before we went to definitely order those and they did not disappoint. They also had fun drinks made into real coconuts and delicious tacos (that can also be made into a bowl!)

El Chorro- This place has been around for a longgg time (1937 to be exact), but it has the most amazing views of the mountain! We went a little too late, so we couldn't really see the mountains by the time we got there, but if you go before sunset there's definitely some good photo ops!WHAT TO DO:Carlson Creek Wine Tasting Room- Delicious wine, right in Downtown Scottsdale. The owner was extremely nice and the wine was delicious!Aridus Wine Tasting Room- The wine tasting room is absolutely gorgeous! Everything is right out of Restoration Hardware and super modern. All of the bottles have really pretty labels and are color-coded by type. The Cabernet Sav was my fav!Hot Air Expeditions Ballon Ride- This was SO much fun and definitely a highlight of the trip. We were supposed to originally go on Saturday morning for the sunrise fly, however, because of stronger winds it was cancelled. They were super accommodating and able to get us on the Sunday morning fly and I am SO glad they did. After the ride, you have a breakfast in the desert complete with mimosas!!Camelback Mountain- I was super nervous about hiking Camelback, but it was so much fun! There were people of all ages hiking the mountain, so it's definitely something that whole family can enjoy.All in all, we had such an amazing time in Scottsdale and can't wait to return! We already are thinking a Spring 2018 trip. :) If you want more recommendations or have any questions- let me know!! xoxo

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Ever since I was in High School, I have been a huge fan of The North Face. I've gone through numerous jackets, fleeces and boots over the years and all of them lasted me a significant amount of time because the quality is always on par. I recently came across the Cyros collection, which can be purchased through Zappos Luxury. This collection of women's and men's jackets, vests and boots are top of the line premium outwear inspired by the mountains- but perfect for the city! As you probably know, Chicago can get pretty dang cold in the winter so I was super excited to finally have a jacket and vest that would keep me warm through those freezing months.

The first one I picked up was the GTX jacket in grey (also comes in black) and I must say- it's super warm!! I walked all around the city in this coat over the weekend (it was snowing!!) and felt warm the entire time due to its waterproof shell and insulated inner cuffs. I also love the grey fur, which can be removed as well! The Cyros vest is extremely flattering and also very warm as it's completely down filled. You're probably not going to go sleeveless in the winter, but it fits perfectly underneath the jacket and is great for indoors or bundling with a thick sweater!

Both of these would make the perfect holiday gift, and Zappos Luxury offers FREE 2-day shipping and free returns to make shopping hassle free!

Monday, December 11, 2017

Last month I had the opportunity to co-host with an event with A.Jaffe at C.D. Peacock, the oldest jewelry retailer in the Chicagoland area- since 1837!! There was a flower crown artist on hand from Steve's Flower Market, a manicurist from Canvas Nail Studio and even a Calligrapher who was creating the most adorable place cards and coasters. The night started by looking at all of the gorgeous A.Jaffe wedding bands and swooning over all of the amazing diamonds. I've always known I wanted two bands to make my ring look symmetrical, so I looked at a bunch of classic but beautiful styles and finally narrowed it down to two that I really fell in love with!

The entire staff at C.D. Peacock was so wonderful and helpful in aiding my decisions and making sure I was comfortable. They really were honest in what they thought looked best with my engagement ring and the different styles that would suit it. My engagement ring is absolutely amazing (the fiance did well!) so I also didn't want anything that took away from that too much, as some bands can drown the overall look of your engagement ring. One of the rings I did choose, was completely different then I thought I would have originally picked, so it was super fun going out of my comfort zone and trying on tons of different styles. Another thing I loved about C.D. Peacock is that you can bring in your rings at any time to be cleaned and it only takes a few minutes! They cleaned mine while I was there and it came out looking brand spanking new. They also cleaned my mom's rings and offered to bring them back at any time to be cleaned again. My fiance decided to go with a family ring which is super sentimental to him, so we didn't look at men's bands but I did see a plethora of them in the store! A.Jaffe carries some amazing and affordable men's rings in platinum, yellow, rose or white gold.

For all of you brides to be who have yet to buy your rings, or maybe you want to find a fun diamond piece or even a Rolex watch-- C.D. Peacock has 3 locations in the Chicagoland area. I decided to go with A.Jaffe as my wedding band brand because all of their gold is 100% nickel free and their 18k gold is alloyed with 40% more palladium then most retailers-- they're also hypoallergenic, so they won't cause any irritation to the skin!*Thank you A.Jaffe for sponsoring this post, as always all opinions are my own!

Monday, December 4, 2017

I've been starting to think of some holiday outfit ideas for some parties coming up, and this outfit immediately came to mind. Embroidery has been in for a while now, and I really hope it's here to stay! This skirt (which is currently on sale!!) is perfect for the holidays because it's actually a faux velvet material and the details in the embroidery are absolutely amazing. I paired it with my favorite yellow lace crop top from Skylar Belle (which you can currently get 15% off!) for an extra add of popped color. What I also really like about this outfit for the holiday, is that it's not your typical holiday colors but a fun spin on it!

If you're looking for a fun pair of earrings- or a great Christmas gift, check out Lisi Learch. Her selection of jewelry (including these disk earrings) come in an array of colors and styles and just about everything is right under $100! xoxo

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